University prep school instructors’ self-efficacy beliefs

Seçkin Can, Ayşegül Daloğlu

Abstract


This study investigates university preparatory school instructors’ self-efficacy beliefs in teaching English and its interaction with their background characteristics, reported proficiency level in English and their perceived use of teaching strategies with a specific emphasis to three sub-dimensions of self-efficacy. To achieve these aims, the present study employed a mixed methods design which consisted of two main stages. In the first stage, a questionnaire consisting of four parts were distributed to 374 EFL instructors working at preparatory schools of 8 different universities in Turkey. In the second stage, interviews were conducted with 25 instructors from these universities in order to gain deeper insights regarding the issues explored in the questionnaire. The quantitative and qualitative findings of the study revealed that instructors have a rather high level of self-efficacy, especially in terms of classroom management and instructional strategies. Another important finding of the study was that there was a significant relationship between instructors’ self-efficacy beliefs and their language proficiency. In addition, it was also found that there was a significant relationship between teaching experience and self- efficacy. 


Keywords


self-efficacy; English language instructors; language proficiency; classroom management; instructional strategies

Full Text:

PDF

References


Akbari, R., & Moradkhani, S. (2010). Iranian English teachers’ selfefficacy: Do

academic degree and experience make a difference? Pazhuhesh-e Zabanha-ye

Khareji, 56, 25–47.

Bandura, A. (1977). Self-efficacy: Toward a unifying theory of behavioral change. Psychological Review, 84 (2), 191-215.

Bandura, A. (1982). Self-efficacy mechanism in human-agency. American Psychologist, 37, 122-147.

Bandura, A. (1986). Social foundations of thought and action: A social cognitive theory. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall.

Bandura, A. (1993). Perceived self-efficacy in cognitive development and functioning. Educational Psychologist, 28(2), 117-148.

Bandura, A. (1997). Self-efficacy: The exercise of control. New York, NY: Freeman. Bandura, A. (2001). Social cognitive theory: An agentic perspective. Annual Review of Psychology, 52.

Bandura, A. (2004). Swimming against the mainstream: The early years from chilly tributary to transformative mainstream. Behavior Research and Therapy, 42, 613-630.

Bandura, A. (2006). Toward a psychology of human agency. Perspectives on Psychological Science, 1(2), 164-180.

Bandura, A. (2006a). Adolescent development from an agentic perspective. In F. Pajares, & T. Urdan (Eds.), Self-efficacy beliefs of adolescents (pp. 1-43). Greenwich, CT: Information Age.

Bandura, A. (2006b). Guide for constructing self-efficacy scales. In F. Pajares, & T. Urdan (Eds.), Self-efficacy beliefs of adolescents (pp. 307-337). Greenwich, CT: Information Age.

Brown, H. Douglas. (2007). Principles of language learning and teaching. White Plains, NY: Pearson Education.

Butler, Y. G. (2004). What level of English proficiency do elementary school teachers need to attain to teach EFL? Case studies from Korea, Taiwan, and Japan. TESOL Quarterly, 38(2), 245-278.

Canale, M., & Swain, M. (1980). Theoretical bases of communicative approaches to second language teaching and testing. Applied Linguistics, 1, 1–47.

Çapa, Y., Çakiroglu, J., & Sarikaya, H. (2005). The development and validation of a Turkish version of teachers‟ sense of efficacy scale. Education and Science, 30(137), 74 - 81.

Çakıroğlu, J., Çakıroğlu,E.,& Boone, J.W. (2005). Pre-service teacher self-efficacy beliefs regarding science teaching: A comparison of pre-service teachers in Turkey and the USA. Science Educator, 14, 31-40.

Chacón, C. T. (2002). Teachers’ sense of efficacy and selected characteristics of selected English as a foreign language Venezuelan middle school teacher. Unpublished doctoral dissertation. The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio.

Chacón, C. T. (2005). Teachers’ perceived efficacy among English as a foreign language teacher in middle schools in Venezuela. Teaching and Teacher Education, 21(3), 257-272.

Choi, E., & Lee, J. (2016). Investigating the relationship of target language proficiency and self-efficacy among nonnative EFL teachers. System, 58, 49-63. doi:10.1016/j.system.2016.02.010

Creswell, J. W. (2008). Educational research: Planning, conducting, and evaluating quantitative and qualitative research. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson.

Cummins, J. (1979). Cognitive/academic language proficiency, linguistic interdependence, the optimum age question and some other matters. Working Papers on Bilingualism, 19, 121-129.

Cummins, J. (1980). Psychological assessment of immigrant children: Logic or intuition? , Journal of Multilingual and Multicultural Development, 1, 97-lll.

Friedman, I. A., & Kass, E. (2002). Teacher self-efficacy: A classroom-organization conceptualization. Teaching and Teacher Education, 18(6), 675-686.

Gencer, A. S., & Cakiroglu, J. (2007). Turkish preservice science teachers’ efficacy beliefs regarding science teaching and their beliefs about classroom management. Teaching and Teacher Education, 23(5), 664-675.

Ghasemboland, F. (2014). Self-Efficacy Beliefs Among English as a Foreign Language Teachers. Unpublished PhD, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur.

Ghanizedeh, A. &Moafian, F. (2011). The Relationship between Iranian Teachers’ Sense of Self-Efficacy and their Pedagogical Success in Language Institutes. Asian EFL Journal, 13(2), 249-272.

Gibson, S., & Dembo, M. (1984). Teacher efficacy: A construct validation. Journal of Educational Psychology, 76, 569– 82.

Guskey, T. R., & Passaro, P. D. (1994). Teacher efficacy: A study of construct dimensions. American Educational Research Journal, 31, 627–643.

Hoy, A. W., & Spero, R. B. (2005). Changes in teacher efficacy during the early years of teaching: A comparison of four measures. Teaching and Teacher Education, 21(4), 343-356.

Hoy, W. K., & Woolfolk, A. E. (1993). Teachers’ sense of efficacy and the organizational health of schools. Elementary School Journal, 93, 335-372.

Liaw, E. (2004) How are they different? A comparative study of native and non-native foreign language teaching assistants regarding selected characteristics: Teacher efficacy, approach to language teaching/ learning, teaching strategies and perception of nativeship. Unpublished doctoral dissertation. The Ohio State University,Ohio.

Moafian, F., & Ghanizadeh, A. (2009). The relationship between Iranian EFL teachers’ emotional intelligence and their self-efficacy in Language Institutes. System 37(4), 708-718.

Morris, D. (2010). Sources of teaching self-efficacy: A scale validation. Ph.D thesis, Emory University, Georgia.

Pajares, F. (1992). Teachers’ beliefs and educational research: Cleaning up a messy construct. Review of Educational Research, 62(3), 307-32.

Pajares, F. (1996). Self-efficacy beliefs in academic settings. Review of Educational Research, 66, 533–578.

Pajares, M. F. (2002). Overview of social cognitive theory and of self-efficacy. Retrieved from http://www.emory.edu/EDUCATION/mfp/eff.html.

Pajares, F., Johnson, M. J., & Usher, E. L. (2007). Sources of writing self-efficacy beliefs of elementary, middle, and high school students. Research in the Teaching of English, 42, 104-120.

Pajares, F., & Urdan, T. (Eds.) (2006). Adolescent self-efficacy. Volume 5 in the Adolescence and Education series. Greenwich, CT: Information Age.

Park, J. K. (2006). Professionalization of TEFL in Korea: The roads behind and ahead. The Journal of Asia TEFL, 3(4), 113-134.

Rakıcıoğlu Söylemez,A. (2012) An Explanatory Case Study of Pre-Service EFL Teachers’ Sense of Efficacy Beliefs and Perceptions of Mentoring Practices During Practice Teaching. Unpublished Ph.D, Middle East Technical University, Ankara.

Shim, J.-W. (2001). The efficacy beliefs of Korean teachers of English as a Foreign Language. Unpublished doctoral dissertation. The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio.

Skaalvik, E. M., & Skaalvik, S. (2010). Teacher self-efficacy and teacher burnout: A study of relations. Teaching and Teacher Education, 26(4), 1059-1069.

Taşer, D. (2015) Predictiors of University EFL Instructors’ Self EffiacyEfficacy Beliefs in Turkey. Unpublished Ph.D, Middle East Technical University, Ankara.

Tschannen-Moran, M., & Woolfolk Hoy, A. (2001). Teacher efficacy: Capturing an elusive construct. Teaching and Teacher Education, 17(7), 783-805.

Tschannen-Moran, M., & Woolfolk Hoy, A. (2007). The differential antecedents of selfefficacy beliefs of novice and experienced teachers. Teaching and Teacher Education, 23, 944-956.

Tschannen-Moran, M., Woolfolk Hoy, A., & Hoy, W. K. (1998). Teacher efficacy: Its meaning and measure. Review of Educational Research, 68, 202–248.

Turnage, I. (2011). The relationship of teacher efficacy, teacher experience, and teacher grade level within the implementation process of behavioral interventions. Ed.D dissertation, The University of Mississippi.

Ülkümen, H.A. (2013). The predictors of English language preparatory school

instructors’ self- efficacy beliefs. Unpublished MSc. Thesis. Middle East

Technical University, Ankara.

Woolfolk, A.E. & Hoy, W.K. (1990). Prospective teachers‟ sense of efficacy and beliefs about control. Journal of Educational Psychology,82,81-91.

Woolfolk,A.E. & Hoy, W.K. (1993). Teachers‟ sense of efficacy and the organizational health of schools. The Elementary School Journal, 93(4),355-372.

Woolfolk, A.E. (1998).Educational Psychology (7th ed.). Boston, MA: Allyn & Bacon.Yılmaz, M., Köseoğlu, P., Gerçek, C., ve Soran, H. (2004).Öğretmen öz-yeterlik inancı. .Bilim ve Aklın Aydınlığında Eğitim Dergisi, 5, (58)

Yavuz, S. (2005). Socio-demographic and institutional predictors of variations in English as a foreign language teachers‟ efficacy perceptions.Unpublished MA Thesis. Marmara University.

Zonoubi, R., Eslami Rasekh, A., & Tavakoli, M. (2017). EFL teacher self-efficacy development in professional learning communities. System, 66, 1-12. doi:10.1016/j.system.2017.03.003


Refbacks

  • There are currently no refbacks.


Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

Journal of Language and Linguistic Studies
ISSN 1305-578X (Online)
Copyright © 2005-2022 by Journal of Language and Linguistic Studies